Coping With Loss

Grief and mourning: how can simple words convey the overwhelming
range of emotions that you feel when you lose a loved one? There
are no words that reflect the emptiness and anguish that you
contend with.

The meaning of "grief" and "mourning" are often confused. They
refer to different aspects of the bereavement process. Put simply,
grief encompasses the thoughts and feelings that are experienced
internally, while mourning represents the public expression of
these feelings.

However these experiences are defined, the process of coming to
terms with the loss of a loved one is one of life's most valuable
lessons. The hurt that you feel and the way in which you learn to
reconcile your pain can give a depth of learning and understanding
that is unrivalled by any other life experience.

Grief is a wholly natural response to a shattering upheaval in
your life, but it is not an ordered or structured process. There is
no right or wrong way to grieve and all expressions of grief
reflect a very real sense of pain and loss. Any response that
conveys a natural expression of grief is preferable to the rigid
guidelines that society often seeks to impose. You don't need
permission from anyone to mourn.

Nor is there an acceptable timeframe for the grieving process.
Many people find that the symptoms of grief remain for years and
appear in a variety of guises. Society's expectation of a standard
grieving process is inconsistent with the variety of ways that
people actually express their sense of loss.